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Dinnertime

In 1741, I was broke and living in Vienna, Austria. However, that spring, I won the golden ticket and received the honor of inviting George Frideric Handel, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, and Johann Sebastian Bach over to my decrepit, impoverished home for dinner.

The first to arrive was Antonio Vivaldi. I was shocked when he stated his name for I already knew him as the frail, red-headed, old man next door. Vivaldi smiled knowingly at my surprise and welcomed himself into my crappy home. The frail Vivaldi, otherwise known as the red priest, sat destitute and ill at my table and expressed interest in the arrival of Mr. Bach. Vivaldi informed me that during the better years, Bach had arranged a few of his concertos (Kamien, 2015), of which he was looking forward to reminiscing on with his friend.

Precisely at that moment, George Handel arrived with a dramatic, yet crippled flourish. He was a rich and successful man and bragged about surviving a sword fight with Mattheson (Classic FM, 2018) as well as a recent stroke (1737). Handel promptly engaged Vivaldi in a conversation comparing the differences between oratorios and concertos.

While the gentleman discussed composition, music, nervous breakdowns, and shortness of breath, I continued to stir the pot of slop. Bach was due to arrive at any time.

When he did arrive, Johann Bach immediately began teasing Handel about opera. Handel was aware that Bach composed for most baroque genres except opera, and because Handel was a performer and greatly admired opera, he teased back about Bach’s outdated Passions and the Goldberg Variations (Classic FM, 2018) that had flopped approximately a decade ago.

Vivaldi interrupted their teasing with a change of subject regarding his ill-health that prevented him from playing woodwinds (Classic FM, 2018) and the failing eyesight of both Bach and Handel. As they discussed their fears in regard to their failing senses, I served the three men the slop from the pot, because in those days, that what women were expected to do. They then dismissed me as the maid (seriously!?) so I went to my bed of straw and slept.